It had cobwebs on it but no blood, which appeared to snuff out the prosecutions theory that the implement acted as the murder weapon. Forensic Files produced "A Novel Idea" back in 2006, but any murder story that includes well-educated mansion owners plus a cheerful male escort on the witness stand is sure to be revisited many times.. Pop-culture phenom. But despite a 10-part Netflix documentary about Kathleen Petersons death and now an HBO miniseries called The Staircase, starring Colin Firth as Michael and Toni Collette as Kathleen, the circumstances surrounding her fall remain a mystery. The NBC series most recently broadcast an update of Down the Back Staircase in 2017. The other thing is red neurons, Jones continued. In response, the prosecution also argued that the motive could have been money. Evidence collected from 1810 Cedar Street included Peterson's computers, pieces of wood from the stairwell, swabs of . Around 2:40 a.m. on December 9, 2001, Michael Peterson called 911 to report finding Kathleen at the bottom of the back staircase in their million-dollar mansion. When paramedics arrived to render aid, Michael's son Todd was already . The Staircase documentary is a vehicle for Michael Peterson, said Jones. Nonetheless, all five of Michaels children believed in his innocence at first. Soon after entering prison, Michael was injured in a fight, something HBO Max's adaptation explores in depth. The value of Kathleens Nortel stock had dropped from more than $2 million at its peak to $50,000. But when paramedics arrived on the scene 10 minutes later, Kathleen was dead - and it appeared to them that she had been dead for far longer than just a few minutes. He was sentenced to life imprisonment in October 2003. Life is really full of surprises," the director told French publication LExpress. Photos of her shaved head surfaced early on in the investigation, leading detectives (and later the prosecuting team) to believe she had been struck multiple times with a large, blunt object (the notorious blowpoke as referenced in the film.) Her husband, Mike, was convicted of her murder in a case that made national news on Court TV. Per ABC News, Michael reported watching America's Sweethearts earlier that evening with his wife, then drinking some wine and sitting by the pool. Michael Peterson and David Rudolf in court in 2017. "Throughout the weeks and weeks of testimony, Michael Peterson had taken extensive notes on legal pads," Aphrodite wrote, explaining that this was likely because of the book deal he had with Harper Collins. As of 2022, its hard to say exactly who occupies the Petersons former home. And a 2009 forensic analysis detailed traces of wood splinters and cedar needles in her hair, along with microscopic bits of feather. But perhaps the most shocking element of the trial revolved around the mother of Michael Peterson's two adopted children. Drew is serving a 38 year sentence in prison after he was found guilty of murdering his third wife Kathleen Savio. It was determined that Kathleen died because of blood loss 90 minutes to two hours after she received several blows to the back of the head with a blunt object. There was a bloody shoe print found on the back of her sweatpants, which was a match to Petersons shoe. And it looked as though someone had tried to clean up blood from the wall near the stairs. Katheleen Peterson was killed by her husband, Michael Peterson. Michael Peterson, now 78, moved in with the then Kathleen Atwater in 1989, two years after the break-up of his first marriage. A great deal of the first eight episodes of the Netflix documentary series The Staircase were set at the Peterson home. While he'd been outside smoking his pipe, his wife of 14 years had taken a fall down the stairs. This content is imported from {embed-name}. We also talk about "life" on the Other Side with a new anecdote or two! In 2017, Peterson entered an Alford plea, which acknowledges without admitting guilt that a trial had found enough evidence to convict him, and he was released on time already served. Paramedics said that Kathleens blood had congealed, suggesting she died hours before he called 911. Kathleen's kind demeanor and easy-going approach to life rub off on everyone she encounters. Kathleen Peterson had consumed alcohol and the autopsy report shows that she was almost in a state where she was too drunk to drive. Three small feathers were found in the hair strands in Kathleens hand, and Pollard said the lacerations on her scalp were consistent with owl talons. What? This type of plea allows the accused to maintain their innocence while also acknowledging that the prosecution likely has sufficient evidence to convict. Her husband was the prime suspect. He told police she may have fallen after mixing alcohol and Valium but was unsure because he was outside when she fell. The Staircase left out one very important plot twist: The Owl Theory. Per ABC News, "From the beginning Peterson maintained that Kathleen had simply slipped on the stairs in a tragic accident after drinking wine and taking valium." Psychic Norbert will provide details . The gripping HBO Max true crime series The Staircase follows the 2001 death of Kathleen Peterson. The defendant had hired criminal defense attorney David Rudolf two days prior, following extensive searches and seizures taking place at his home. If Forensic Files got an annual performance review, it would always exceed expectations in telling a story in 22 minutes without making viewers feel cheated but at the same time leaving them interested in finding out more. They noted that Michael was wearing shorts and a T-shirt. However, SBI expert Duane Deaver claimed "based on the blood spatter on her husband's shorts and shoes, the wearer was standing directly over Kathleen Peterson when she was killed," via The News & Observer. Over the years, Dateline has continually covered the case of how writer Michael Peterson's wife, Kathleen, ended up dead at the base of a staircase in their 14-room house. 'The Staircase' has put Kathleen Peterson in the spotlight. Before marrying Kathleen, Michael Peterson was married to Patricia Peterson. We know she had one biological daughter, Caitlin Atwater, two adopted daughters, Martha and Margaret Ratliff, and two step-sons,. Kathleen Peterson may refer to: Kathleen Peterson (murder victim) Kathleen Peterson (artist) This page was last edited on 9 August 2022, at 12:05 (UTC). As viewers of both the documentary and HBO Max's adaptation will quickly learn, the crime scene looked extremely shocking. It has been theorized that a Barred Owl attacked Kathleen. Police believed it was a fireplace blow poke that someone took outside to hide, leaving bloodstains on the door. Nonetheless, Michael Petersons lawyers never brought up the owl theory in the courtroom it was too bizarre and potentially fodder for, well, hoots of laughter. But public interest in the case didnt really explode until the following year, when Netflix expanded and updated a documentary by French director Jean-Xavier de Lestrade to create a 13-part bingefest called The Staircase. Call-guy talks. The fact that people even want to believe that is maddening. Whats more, she said, the feathers on Kathleen were likely from a pillow. Heres how Raleigh ranks among US metros for first-time homebuyers, 74,000 & growing: Some NC police departments stockpile guns rather than release them. He claimed he found her after lingering outside for several hours after dinner, but the police soon arrested him, and he was found guilty of Kathleens murder in 2003. But after eight years in prison, he was released after it was found that a key witness had given misleading testimony. Some psychic. On Dec. 9, 2001, novelist Michael Peterson found his wife, Kathleen, dead at the bottom of the back staircase. Whats more, the raptors are known to dive-bomb humans when they feel threatened, almost always targeting the head.. The man who claims he's a psychic and goes by the name Biond Fury has reportedly purchased the Durham home that sadly served as the murder site for Nortel executive Kathleen Peterson. In addition to the salacious activity, investigators discovered evidence of financial woes in the family. In 2017, the then-73-year-old avoided a second trial by taking an Alford plea to voluntary manslaughter in return for six years of house arrest. If I were to be telling this story, we would know that he did it., 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. All Rights Reserved, Mansion from BBCs Pride and Prejudice lists for $7.3M in England, Film producer Charles Cohen has prescription for resilient New York, How Stanley Tucci lost his taste and almost his love of food to cancer, Emmy nominee Josh OConnor proves hes a movie star in Mothering Sunday. He'd previously spent time behind bars for reportedly placing a bomb in a Duke University office, according . So whats happened to Michael Peterson since the 2018 Netflix series turned his story into an international entertainment sensation? Although the case is more than two decades old now, Kathleen Peterson's death and the trial that followed are still a subject of fascination for many. Off he went to North Carolinas Correctional Facility in Nash. "Without Kathleen's job and her pay check, he could not continue to support his two adult sons, he could not continue to maintain that home, he could not live the lifestyle he'd grown accustomed to. Pop-culture phenom. The trial of Michael Peterson saw untold twists and revelations, and a new HBO miniseries starring Colin Firth as Michael and Toni Collette as Kathleen looks likely to blow the whole thing open again. And the happy hustler was off the table too the seizure of Petersons computer messages was ruled unlawful, so Brad couldnt testify again. The couple renovated and resold the house to a New York psychic medium by the name of Biond Fury for $1.3 million in 2008. Netflix. Peterson is now serving a life term. Toxicology showed a blood alcohol content of 0.07 percent, just under the legal limit, and blood concentration of Valium consistent with a therapeutic dose. For instance, one theory suggested that the lacerations on the victim's head were caused by an owl, as "a microscopic feather was found in Kathleen Peterson's hand with some of her hair," via The News & Observer. However, despite the houses dark history, it remains occupied. At the time of her death, she was a vice president at Nortel Networks at the companys Research Triangle Park offices. The police were out to get him because he criticized them in columns he wrote for the Herald-Sun before Kathleens death, he told Dateline. On Nov. 25, 1985, when Michael was living in Germany and married to his first wife, Ratliff turned up dead at the bottom of a staircase just as Kathleen Peterson did 16 years later. Kathleen is an engaging and dynamic teacher, who always takes the extra step . Menu Log In Sign Up View Kathleen Peterson results including current phone number, address, relatives, background check report, and property record with Whitepages. Also in 2019, Michael Peterson made a two-part appearance on Dr. Phil. We also talk about "life" on the Other Side with a Although I tend to agree with the prosecution that Michael Peterson is responsible for Kathleen Petersons and Liz Ratliffs deaths, its still sweet to see the loyalty of his children and their willingness to accept him as he is. At the time of Peterson making the 911 call, he had claimed that Kathleen was "still breathing" however, when the authorities arrived, Kathleen had passed away from her injuries. We want it. He told the operator she was still breathing. endstream endobj 84 0 obj <>stream The documentary director told Metro that he began filming Peterson in February 2002 and didn't wrap until 2018. When the jury found Michael Peterson guilty of first-degree murder in October 2003, however, the offer was immediately withdrawn. Two Ukrainian women look back at one year of war, Why you shouldn't go into TikTok's "monk mode", 9 interesting things about Kathleen and Michael Peterson that were left out of 'The Staircase'. Michael Peterson is an author and a military veteran who served in the Vietnam War. lacerations on the back of her head were consistent with a beating. After breaking up with Sophie ( Juliette Binoche) and refusing to move to Paris, Michael went to live with his ex-wife Patty ( Trini Alvarado ). Kathleen married Michael in 1997, and the couple proceeded to merge their two families. So who really was she? On top of that, there had been reports of owl activity in the neighborhood only weeks prior. The couple combined their families into one household in the 5-bedroom 5-bath abode in the Forest Hills neighborhood of Durham. Instead of facing a new trial in 2017, Peterson instead opted for an Alford Plea for voluntary manslaughter. Lestrade's access to Michael Peterson means the HBO Max adaptation has a wealth of source material to draw upon. Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Lawyer Larry Pollard, who wasnt on the case but was a neighbor of Petersons, brought up this idea. Michael Peterson was so worried, in fact, he emailed his first wife Patty eleven days before Kathleen's death to ask her to take a $30,000 home equity loan to help their sons out because he was unable to do so. Kathleen was 48 at the time of her death. After several appeals, he entered an Alford plea meaning a defendant acknowledges that the prosecution has enough to convict them but maintains their innocence in 2017 to have his charge reduced to manslaughter. But nothing could have prepared the family for what would happen shortly before Christmas in 2001. Creative Innovator // Thought Leader // Speaker // Anesthesiologist . And then there was the owl theory, introduced late in the documentary. It riveted viewers even as it wrapped up with the conclusion that, well, we can really never know whether Michael did it or not. 2023 BDG Media, Inc. All rights reserved. Another motive suggested by the prosecution hinged on the Peterson family's tenuous financial situation. Mrs. Kathleen Hunt Atwater Peterson, was born February 21, 1953, in Greensboro, North Carolina, and died of a tragic accident in her beloved home in Durham, North Carolina, Sunday, December 9, 2001. In 2018, Fury launched a GoFundMe campaign to help him pay for his own repairs, only to later list the home at a price of $1.9 million in 2020. On October 10, 2003, Michael Peterson was sentenced to life without parole for Kathleen's murder, via The New York Times. Pollard theorised that Kathleen could have been attacked outside by one of these owls, which would account for the seven unexplained lacerations to her head. Ratliff had assigned Michael as guardian of her kids and left him her entire estate. He did find himself a post-lockup girlfriend, however, in one of the editors of The Staircase. The most recent Durham County tax appraisal is $1.9 million. Brainy bunch. As noted by the publication, it was suggested that, while waiting for a work email on the night of her death, Kathleen could have discovered Michael's secret correspondence and the illicit imagery. Lived In Hayward WI, Pine City NY, Pine City PA, Saginaw MI. Todd Peterson, 25, was at the house when the police came but refused to talk to them, according to Forensic Files. True-crime author Aphrodite Jones, who covered the case, hasnt seen the new series but thinks it isnt likely to tread any new ground if it follows the beats of the documentary. Colin Firth as Michael Peterson and Toni Collette as Kathleen Peterson in HBO Maxs. His 2003 trial ended in a first-degree murder conviction and a sentence of life without parole. We've received your submission. We know she had one biological daughter, Caitlin Atwater, two adopted daughters, Martha and Margaret Ratliff, and two step-sons, Clayton and Todd Peterson. Cathleen Peterson-Layne, PhD, MD Empowering Leaders and Teams to lead with greater clarity and courageous decision-making. The couple lived together for a time after his release, he said. Marked man. You can read more in depth information about the owl theory here. "This is one of the incredible things that happened during those 15 years. Every product on this page was chosen by a Harper's BAZAAR editor. his wifes accidental fall down the stairs, used for the construction of the original. One thing that absolutely wasn't mentioned in The Staircase is that Michael Peterson didn't remain single for all the years following his wife Kathleen's death. In February 2017, to avoid going to trial again, Michael Peterson entered an Alford plea, which "acknowledged that prosecutors had enough evidence to convict him of voluntary manslaughter and accepted the guilty verdict for the felony without admitting guilt," via The News & Observer. .css-1xok8cp{background-color:#242424;border-radius:0;color:#fff;display:inline-block;font-family:HarmoniaSans,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-serif;font-weight:600;letter-spacing:0.03rem;padding:0.5rem 0.6rem;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;text-decoration-color:inherit;text-decoration-thickness:0.0625rem;text-transform:uppercase;text-underline-offset:0.25rem;-webkit-transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;width:auto;}@media(max-width: 48rem){.css-1xok8cp{font-size:0.875rem;line-height:1.1;padding:0.5rem 0.6rem;}}@media(min-width: 40.625rem){.css-1xok8cp{padding:0.5rem 0.6rem;}}@media(min-width: 48rem){.css-1xok8cp{font-size:0.9375rem;line-height:1.1;padding:0.5rem 0.6rem;}}@media(min-width: 64rem){.css-1xok8cp{font-size:0.9375rem;line-height:1.1;}}.css-1xok8cp:focus-visible{outline-color:body-cta-btn-link-focus;}.css-1xok8cp:hover{color:#fff;text-decoration-color:border-link-body-hover;background-color:#B30010;border:none;}WATCH THE STAIRCASE ON HBO MAX. The exterior shots are very recognizable from The Staircase, but also the scenes inside the wood-paneled study inside the home. Hes a SHU-in. The last thing anyone wants to see is one of these fierce-looking tree-dwellers flying straight towards them, sharp talons extended as it prepares to latch onto the scalp. Early on in The Staircase, a 13-part docu-series originally produced in 2004 in France that both confuses, confuddles, frustrates and leaves us longing for more, we learn that Kathleens apparent tumble down a flight of stairs looked a lot more like a murder then a fall. Of course, none of this absolutely *proves* it was a barred owl that inflicted the initial wounds on Kathleen Peterson. The couple originally moved into the home in 1997, four years before the incident. Their marriage, a second for both, seemed happy. Kathleen Hunt grew up in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and was so bright that she took advanced Latin classes at a nearby college while still in McCaskey High School, according to the Lancaster New Era newspaper. Kathleen has one biological daughter, Caitlin Atwater, from her first marriage. Like the fact the couple were in a lot of debt when Kathleen died. Despite the fact Michael was the one to call 911 the night Kathleen allegedly fell down the stairs, Michael soon . Prosecutors would later contend that Kathleen stumbled upon the trove of photos and messages while using Michaels computer she had left her own machine at work that day. If that address sounds familiar to you, its probably because you know the grisly history contained within its walls. Monday, July 13, 2020. Michael moved into a two-bedroom condo, according to reporting from Cosmopolitan on June 11, 2018. He's currently behind bars in California's San Quentin prison. At 2:30am, Michael Peterson called 911. Insurance jackpot. "They had a real story, which lasted until May 2017. Once the strange coincidence of the unusual death was discovered, Elizabeth's body was exhumed as part of Michael's trial, and an autopsy concluded that she had died as the result of a "homicidal assault," and not a stroke, per The News & Observer. Peterson, then 58, was a successful writer; Kathleen, then 48, a telecommunications executive. Or Kathleen was upset because Michael was seeing other people outside the marriage. A successful career as an executive at the communications firm Nortel followed. Case Notes: On December 9th 2001, Kathleen Peterson was found by her husband, Michael Peterson, at the bottom of the stairs in the home that they shared in Durham. Over the years, there had been some tense moments over money and Michaels mayoral election bid, and the two frequently fought and made up. And that was just the tip of the iceberg. The thing about The Staircase is that, although it centres around the death of Kathleen Peterson, there's actually very little focus on Kathleen herself throughout the 13-part Netflix documentary. Psychic Norbert, the only psychic asked by the family of Stacy Peterson to investigate her disappearance, correctly predicted the arrest of her husband, former Bolingbrook, IL police officer Drew Peterson. Not one.. Hosts with the most. Before Michael met Kathleen in 1986, he was living in Germany with his first wife, Patricia Sue, and their two sons. Stacy Peterson went missing in 2007 and her bloated piss bag of a husband Drew Peterson probably had everything to do with it. What really happened in the Peterson household in the early hours of December 9 will likely always remain a mystery. By then, one of Michaels books, A Time for War, had made its way onto the New York Times bestseller list and generated enough cash to pay for the Colonial Revival-style house containing the now-famous staircase. 1y. As reported by CNN, a judge ruled that the jury had been misled by former SBI agent Duane Deaver's bloodstain evidence; Deaver was also fired in 2011. Life Coach, Psychic, Relationships, Tarot Kathleen Peterson. endstream endobj 83 0 obj <>stream And the long, narrow marks found on her scalp appeared to be consistent with those of an owls talons. The home, built in 1940, was designed by Durham architect George Watts Carr Sr., who also designed buildings at N.C. Central University, N.C. State University and UNC-Chapel Hill. Still, there was no serious drama until Dec. 9, 2001, when Michael Peterson made a desperate 911 call to report his wife had fallen down the stairs but was still breathing. In Michael Peterson's murder trial, the prosecution's case focussed on money - or the couple's lack of it - as a motive. Kathleen and Michael Peterson famously lived in a sprawling 14-room mansion in the Forest Hills suburb of Durham, North Carolina. This week Sandy and I tackle a cold case from 2007 of Missing Mom Stacy Peterson who went missing from the home she shared with her abusive husband, former police officer Drew Peterson, who was later convicted of murdering his third wife, Kathleen. .css-o05pt{display:block;font-family:Didot,Didot-fallback,Georgia,Times,serif;font-weight:normal;letter-spacing:0rem;margin-bottom:0;margin-top:0;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;text-shadow:0 0 0 #000,0 0 0.01em transparent;}@media (any-hover: hover){.css-o05pt:hover{color:link-hover;}}@media(max-width: 48rem){.css-o05pt{font-size:1.18581rem;line-height:1.2;margin-bottom:0.25rem;margin-top:0.625rem;}}@media(min-width: 40.625rem){.css-o05pt{line-height:1.2;}}@media(min-width: 48rem){.css-o05pt{font-size:1.23488rem;line-height:1.2;margin-bottom:0.5rem;margin-top:0rem;}}@media(min-width: 64rem){.css-o05pt{font-size:1.39461rem;line-height:1.2;margin-top:0.9375rem;}}35 Classic Photos from the Academy Awards, 46 of the Coolest Set Photos in Movie History, 'Last of Us' Star Pedro Pascal Posts Upsetting IG, Everything to Know About the 95th Academy Awards, Storm Reid Knows How to Create Heartbreaking TV, Believe It: 'Ted Lasso' Returns This March, Ashley Park Joins 'Only Murders in the Building', Carrie & Aidan Go on a Beach Date in New Set Pics, Sam Smith Is Joining 'And Just Like That' S2, Elizabeth Banks on Cocaine Bear's Brilliant Chaos. By Wilson Wong. As one of their friends told CBS News in 2003, "They had all the appearances and trappings of happiness. Michael was sentenced to 64 to 86 months in prison; having already spent 89 months in prison, he was deemed a free man. "[Dr. Radisch, the state pathologist] moved her examination to the internal neck area, and discovered a bloodied fracture with haemorrhage on the small extension off of the left thyroid cartilage," the crime author wrote. Many people are already familiar with the tragic death of Kathleen Peterson, who in 2001 was dead at the bottom of a staircase in her North Carolina home . The Petersons were heavily in debt, owing over $100,000 in credit debt. Also known as Cathleen Peterson, Cathy Peterson, Kathy M Peterson. However, as Snell told jurors, "the seven wounds he observed while watching other forensic pathologists perform the autopsy were a major reason he changed his initial finding of 'accident' to homicide from a beating.". The Cedar Street colonial was purchased by a local couple, one of whom was Jason Balius, a former co-owner of the Mad Hatter Bakeshop in Durham, for $640,000 in 2004, per WRAL News. Where is Morgan from the Murdaugh Murders now? He and Patricia split up, and he began a relationship with his neighbor Kathleen Hunt Atwater in Durham, North Carolina, in 1992. Will a warm February mean a brutal spring or summer? Related To Heather Peterson, Tiffany Peterson, Michael Peterson, Ronald Peterson. The Staircase main players: Where are they now? $.5.99 / minute. NetflixMichael Peterson while incarcerated at Nash Correctional Institution, 2003. Why Thomas Crapper's Name Is Synonymous With The Toilet Even Though He Didn't Actually Invent It, Eerie Facts About Point Nemo, The Most Remote Location On Planet Earth, What Stephen Hawking Thinks Threatens Humankind The Most, 27 Raw Images Of When Punk Ruled New York, Join The All That's Interesting Weekly Dispatch. Lived In Santa Ana CA, Irvine CA, Corona CA. Now, HBO Max has turned the story into a scripted drama, also called The Staircase and starring Toni Colette as Kathleen Peterson. Now her grave is a destination. Michael, a writer and would-be politician, called emergency . By using this site, you agree to the Terms . A Forensic Files Murder That Went on a Binge(A Novel Idea, Forensic Files), Note: You can listen to this post as a podcast. In the last two episodes of The Staircase, filmed in 2016 as Michael Peterson's legal case finally drew to a close, you might have noticed the lawyers mentioning "strangulation" injuries discovered in Kathleen Peterson's autopsy. In 2018, Academy Award-winning French filmmaker Jean-Xavier de Lestrade released The Staircase, a 13-episode Netflix documentary investigating the real causes of Peterson's passing. Instead, Michael laid the blame for his murder conviction on humans. Missing murder weapon. The couple had three daughters in college and credit card debt of $142,000. Theres no question that [Peterson] did it, she said. 2 popular chain restaurants get B grades: Triangle sanitation scores (Feb. 28), Repealing North Carolinas pistol permit law makes everyone less safe | Opinion. After learning about the mysterious death of Kathleen Peterson, read the shocking story of Dalia Dippolito, whose murder-for-hire plot to kill her husband was caught on camera by police. Mr. Pollard, a long-time friend and neighbor of the Petersons, has suggested that microscopic owl feathers where found in Kathleen Petersons hand, mixed together with her own hair, during her autopsy, suggesting that she perhaps attempted to fight off an owl attack. Located in the Forest Hills neighborhood of Durham, the house boasts a patio with an outdoor fireplace, a library, a game room, five bedrooms, and five-and-a-half bathrooms, not to mention the pool where Michael claimed to be during what he alleged was his wifes accidental fall down the stairs. Within six months of his wifes death, Michael Peterson had collected $347,000 from his late wife's assets to fund his legal defence. It was ruled in 2004 that Atwater and her biological father would be awarded the $1.5 million life insurance policy in Kathleen's name, which was initially would go to Peterson, WRAL reports.. Others theorize that one of Michael Petersons sons may have killed her out of jealousy or that a tree branch may have been the actual murder weapon. The ending of Netflix's Triptych explained, Khlo Kardashian is living her best life on TikTok, Period-proof activewear to stop the leakage fear. His explanation to cops, that she had been drinking and had likely taken a sleeping pill and fallen, was deemed unconvincing; he was arrested for her murder shortly thereafter. Her hands and arms had contusion bruises but not her legs, which suggests evidence of a struggle. In the lead-up to Kathleen's death, Nortel had been making a large proportion of its staff redundant - as many as two thirds (or 45,000 workers) apparently. The occupants of the home are not known; however, as HBO Maxs series unfolds, more information may come to light. As reported by CNN Law Center, medical examiner Dr. Kenneth Snell had initially marked Kathleen's death as an "accident" caused by falling down the stairs. Chief among them: A close friend of Petersons, Elizabeth Ratliff, had also been found dead at the bottom of a staircase, in 1985. Not inebriated. Peterson entered an Alford plea while awaiting a new trial in 2017, allowing him to plead guilty to manslaughter while maintaining his innocence. 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